Cama, Switzerland

Cama is a municipality in the Moesa Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

Cama
Coat of arms
Location of Cama
Cama Show map of Switzerland Cama Show map of Canton of Graubünden
Coordinates: 46°16′N 9°10′E
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Graubünden
District	Moesa
Area [1]
• Total	15.0 km^2 (5.8 sq mi)
Elevation	366 m (1,201 ft)
Population  (2018-12-31)[2]
• Total	560
• Density	37/km^2 (97/sq mi)
Postal code	6557
SFOS number	3831
Surrounded by	Dosso del Liro (IT-CO), Gordona (IT-SO), Grono, Leggia, Livo (IT-CO), Lostallo, Verdabbio
Website	http://www.valcama.ch SFSO statistics

History

Cama is first mentioned in 1219 as Camma.[3]

Between 1907 and 1978, Mesocco was linked to Bellinzona and the Gotthard railway to the south, and Mesocco to the north, by the Bellinzona–Mesocco railway. The section between Cama and Castione-Arbedo station, on the Gotthard line, remained open for freight until 2003, and is now operated as a tourist railway.

Geography

Cama has an area, as of 2006, of 15.1 km² (5.8 sq mi). Of this area, 4.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while 60.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.7% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (33.1%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).[4]

Before 2017, the municipality was located in the Moesa district in the Roveredo sub-district, along both banks of the Moesa river. It consists of the village of Cama and the sections of Al Pont and Norantola.

Lago di Cama is located in the municipality.

Demographics

Cama has a population (as of 31 December 2018) of 560.[5] As of 2008, 13.6% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.[6] Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 3%.[4]

As of 2000, the gender distribution of the population was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.[7] The age distribution, as of 2000, in Cama is; 53 children or 11.2% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old. 16 teenagers or 3.4% are 10 to 14, and 15 teenagers or 3.2% are 15 to 19. Of the adult population, 67 people or 14.1% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 80 people or 16.9% are 30 to 39, 69 people or 14.6% are 40 to 49, and 67 people or 14.1% are 50 to 59. The senior population distribution is 53 people or 11.2% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 38 people or 8.0% are 70 to 79, there are 16 people or 3.4% who are 80 to 89.[6]

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 35.3% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP (32%), the FDP (17.4%) and the SP (15.3%).[4]

The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Cama about 64.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule).[4]

Cama has an unemployment rate of 2.56%. As of 2005, there were 34 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 46 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 8 businesses in this sector. 93 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 18 businesses in this sector.[4]

The historical population is given in the following table:[3]

year	population
1826	171
1850	214
1860	272
1900	250
1950	254
2000	474

Languages

Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks Italian (88.2%), with German being second most common ( 5.1%) and Portuguese being third ( 2.3%).[4]

Languages in Cama
Languages	Census 1980		Census 1990		Census 2000
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
German	10	2.83%	18	4.81%	24	5.06%
Italian	328	92.92%	347	92.78%	418	88.19%
Population	353	100%	374	100%	474	100%

References

1. "Arealstatistik Standard - Gemeinden nach 4 Hauptbereichen". Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
2. "Ständige Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeitskategorie Geschlecht und Gemeinde; Provisorische Jahresergebnisse; 2018". Federal Statistical Office. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
3. Cama in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
4. Swiss Federal Statistical Office Archived January 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine accessed 23-Oct-2009
5. Swiss Federal Statistical Office - STAT-TAB, online database – Ständige und nichtständige Wohnbevölkerung nach institutionellen Gliederungen, Geburtsort und Staatsangehörigkeit (in German) accessed 23 September 2019
6. Graubunden Population Statistics Archived August 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed 21 September 2009
7. Graubunden in Numbers Archived September 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (in German) accessed 21 September 2009

External links

• Cama in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
• Val Cama (in German), (in Italian)